Little Things | An Original

35

Dalton
March

Maeve and I have a tradition with our friends that we all go out on St. Patrick's Day together. It's one of the things we did when we first started dating, and it's something we have a blast doing every single year.

It's on a Saturday this year, so we both don't have to work. As Maeve is in our bathroom putting green clover stickers on her cheek, I wrap my arms around her stomach and kiss her cheek.

"Are you excited, babe?" she asks.

"Of course," I say. "I wait for the day I can drink green beer every year."

Maeve turns around and puts her arms around my neck. "Guess who's coming out with everyone today?"

"Who?" I ask.

"Kenna. Owen's in school now, so she can actually come."

Maeve's friend Kenna is a single mother to her five year old, Owen, so it's rare she gets to go out with the rest of us.

Since Maeve and I were friends in high school, our current friend group is both of our high school friend groups combined. Plus, Milo and Sabrina are coming with us, Sabrina deeming herself as designated driver since she can't drink anyway.

We meet up with everyone downtown near the river, to start our bar crawl for the day. Luckily, it's warm out, enough that we're all wearing shorts. Maeve looks really cute with her green eyeshadow and curled hair. I'm so lucky to have her.

Downtown is bustling with people celebrating this holiday. Chicago is known for having a great scene on St. Patrick's Day. There's a lot of Irish Pubs around, so there's lots of places to choose from.

The day is ended at an Irish Pub on the Navy Pier, all of us winding down from a day of fun. As we're standing around a table, Maeve leans her head on my shoulder. I put my arm around her, so she can lean closer to me.

"I love you, Dalton," she says. "And I love St. Patrick's Day."

I kiss her forehead. "I love you too. You're cute when you're drunk."

Maeve smiles. "You're so handsome."

"Thank you, baby."

We order appetizers and slow down on drinking for the evening, trying to at least sober up a little before we have to walk almost a mile back to Sabrina's car. Maeve and I are hand-in-hand the entire way back, then she's leaning her head on my shoulder in the backseat while Sabrina and Milo drive us home.

Maeve and Sabrina make lunch plans for this week, which Maeve immediately writes down on the calendar we keep on the side of our fridge. I love my wife so much. Shes so cute, even being organized when she's drunk.

After Milo and Sabrina leave to go home, Maeve and I put Poppy on her leash to take her on a quick walk. Maeve has sobered up enough that we can talk about our plans for this year, and the trip we're hoping to take, just the two of us.

"So," Maeve says. "I was thinking about what we could do for our 'just us' trip. We could either take a trip in May, before the craziness with Maren's gymnastics stuff takes off, or we could wait until after the Olympics and celebrate our wedding anniversary with a special trip. If we take the trip in August, I'm sure we could do a few weekend trips to the cottage during the spring and summer."

"I vote anniversary trip," I say. "It'll be relaxing to finally have a trip to ourselves after all the traveling we'll be doing."

Maeve grins. "I hoped you'd say that."

I throw my arm around her shoulder and kiss the side of her head as we keep walking, smiling at how in tune we are to one another.

After we get home for the second time, we change into comfier clothes, order a pizza, and cuddle up on the couch to watch a movie. I'm honestly not paying attention to the movie, but I am paying attention to Maeve. Running my fingers gently through her hair as she leans against me, Poppy having wormed her way through to cuddle with us.